First Badges
"The game between Team 1 and Team 2 begins! " Coach shouted and then my teammate Kunigami gave a pass to me.
I started observing the positions of my teammates while holding the ball in two hands tightly.
Kunigami was on the right baseline trying to enter post through force. I started dribbling towards him.
When I was nearing him my guard Rokuro was still in front of me, I quickly changed direction on the left cutting edge fastly. I passed my guard and went for a layup, but Kunigami's guard Iwao(Coach) was here to cover his teammate. I realized Kunigami was free and without turning to him I made a bounce pass for him.
There was no one to guard Kunigami and he was free to shot, my guard tried to reach him but failed. Kunigami just shot and gained us 2 points.
"Nice pass. " said Kunigami to me and I just nodded.
We get back to starting positions my guard came to me and gave me the ball. I again glanced at my teammates and they were still in the same positions. I looked on the left side and saw Takeshi and Takeo doing screen.
Takeo set up a screen for Takeshi, opponents quickly switched between themselves. Takeshi came running towards me and I gave him a pass.
Then I went in his direction to set up another screen for him. He waited for me and after I set up the screen for him he quickly dashed in opposite direction from me.
I run towards the basket confusing my guard and I was free for a pass. Takeshi noticed this and quickly passed me, pass was a rough one because the ball was spinning fast and it was hard to catch.
I managed to somehow to take the ball and went for a layup. my guard was already near me and jumped for a block but I still did a simple layup and gained 2 points.
"I have to say, newbie knows what's he is doing. " said third-year Daisuke from the opposing team after seeing my play.
We went on starting positions once again and my guard gave me the ball. I looked around noticing our center Takeo setting up a screen for Takeshi once again.
Takeshi waited for Takeo to fully set up the screen this time. once Takeo set up the screen and Takeshi came running towards my direction, his two hands were on chest level hinting me to give him a pass.
But I noticed what Takeo did. He did the same trick as me, when he set up the screen, he then started running towards the basket. He was absolutely free, nobody was on his tail.
When I saw him doing that my lips twitched upward, I sent a straight pass to him. He caught it and then went for a layup but this time Kunigami's guard jumped for block and succeeded.
The ball now was in possession of the opposing team, the coach was dribbling the ball. He passed the ball outside of the three-point line. Rokuro got the ball and I quickly started pressing. I wanted to make him feel uncomfortable.
Rokuro tried to pass me, but my tight defense didn't let him to pass. He passed the ball to Jyubei who was in the post. Jyubei was trying to make his way towards the basket, but Takeo was guarding him greatly forcing him to even go out of the post.
When Jyubei got out of the post he passed the ball to Rokuro. Rokuro had the ball in both of his hands, thinking who should he pass the ball to. He turned back to me and I pressed my chest against his back. I tried to intimidate him with force.
Daisuke noticed this and quickly run towards us while shouting.
"Rokuro pass the ball! " Daisuke was near us and Rokuro quickly tried to pass him the ball but I tapped it.
Unfortunately, the ball still reached Daisuke. Daisuke's guard was already there and didn't let him to go for a layup. Daisuke passed the ball to the coach who was facing his guard with back.
Coach felt pressure on his back and what he did next surprised me. The Coach did spin and quickly passed Kunigami. Coach run to the basket and did a simple layup.
He turned to us and smiled so brightly that it blinded me.
'Just how can teeth shine like that!' I thought while looking at the coach.
The game went on. Screens, layups, even dunks were made.
"To be honest playing with them is fun. " muttered Michio with smile while glancing at his future teammates who were currently resting.
He then checked screen that was showing him current stats.
"Hey come here, why are you distancing yourself. " Kunigami yelled at Michio.
Michio shook his head and just got near them and then sat there. Kunigami came to him and offered him a bottle of water.
"Here drink this, you need it. " Kunigami said to Michio and Michio gladly accepted.
"Thanks. " Michio thanked Kunigami after drinking water.
"It's nothing really... You know, you are a good player. " Kunigami complimented Michio
"Thanks, I started playing basketball since I was a toddler so there shouldn't be anything exciting. " said Michio
"Still, you play very well. You have good potential and I'm happy to play with a talented player like you. " Kunigami once again complimented Michio.
"You aren't bad yourself. Your strength is something to be afraid of, You can already overpower most adults. " Now Michio complimented Kunigami.
"Yeah, thanks. so what do you think? do you like basketball club? " asked Kunigami.
"It's fun... no I would say that it's great. " said Michio earning a smile from Kunigami.
"That's good to hear. you should get ready by the way, this year we are aiming to win nationals. " said Kunigami
"I thought teams should always aim to be the best. " muttered Michio
"Damn yeah! but this year is special, we have big chances. " said Kunigami with big excitement
"Then I will be ready to help this team with everything I got. " Michio said and then he and Kunigami fist-bumped.
Once Kunigami left to the locker room, Michio finally looked at the screen in front of him.
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[Attribute Upgrade Earned]
[Drill Result - 3 Stars]
[Badge Earned - Finishing, Playmaking, Defense.]
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'3 Badges in one training. This coaching drill gives a goddamn big boost!' screamed Michio in his mind while looking at 3 Stars in his drill result.
'Let's think now what badges should I upgrade? In finishing, I have few options, Relentelles Finisher, Fancy Footwork, or Consistent Finisher?'
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[Consistent Finisher] {Explanation: Reduces the penalty for poorly released layups.}
[Fancy Footwork] {Explanation: Improves a player's ability to beat defenders with an advanced layup or dunk gather.}
[Relentless Finisher] {Explanation: Reduced fatigue effect with continually finishing at the rim with contact. }
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'That's hard to choose, I need those 3 anyway and I will upgrade them even before the match with GOM, so right now it doesn't matter I will take Fancy Footwork. Fatigue won't be a problem for now I have enough endurance to play 4 quarters in middle school. ' Thought Michio and then he upgraded Fancy Footwork on Bronze. (Badges have 4 levels Bronze-Silver-Gold-Hall Of Fame.)
'Now I have to upgrade Playmaking and Defense badges. Let's go with playmaking now.' said Michio and upgraded one badge in playmaking
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[Tight Handles]{Explanation: Improves player's ability to break down their defender.}
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'And now I have to choose something that will really help me in defense and I already got the idea what I have to choose. ' said Michio in his mind while looking at a certain badge.
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[Clamps]{Boosts the ability to stay in front of the ball handler on the perimeter}
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'Extremely useful ability against players with good dribbling. ' Michio even let out a creepy smile.
'Next one will be Intimidator and Interceptor. Intimidator will help me to make players miss, while Interceptor will allow me to get steals in passing lanes. I wonder how will Lightning Reflexes Badge will work there? '
Michio stopped thinking about badges now since he had to change his clothing and get going to home.
'Maybe I can even test how those badges will work there? Yeah good idea, I will drag my Lil bro on the court. ' thought Michio
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*3rd POV*
"I'm home!" shouted Michio when he entered the house.
He changed his shoes, and went directly to his brother's room. he opened his brother's room and saw him lying on his bad playing phone.
A thick mark grew on Michio's forehead when he saw that his brother is doing nothing but lazing around. he slammed the door of his brother's room and went somewhere.
Soon he once again opened the door with a bang, but this time he was holding basketball shoes.
"Get your ass up! " Michio shouted while throwing basketball shoes at his brother's ass.
"Ahh! What was that for! " shouted his brother while rubbing his ass from pain.
"You are lazing around the whole day aren't ya? I bet that after coming from school you here for the whole day! " shouted Michio while being angry at his little brother.
"I was planning to go out! I was just waiting for you! " brother tried to counter-attack Michio.
"Then why the hell are you not dressed? " asked Michio while looking at his brother who was only wearing shorts.
At this moment their mother came with a slipper in her hand.
"What's going on here? why are you shouting? " asked their mother with a genuine smile but for brothers, it was a demonic one.
"Nothing... Kaachan! big brother was beating me! " shouted my brother
"*Sigh* Jiro it would be good if you at least went outside for fresh air... " muttered my mother understood what Michio tried to do before.
"Suit yourself, I'll take you somewhere. " Michio said this to his brother.
"But I didn't agree yet! " Jiro still tried to refuse but with mom's stern expression
"That's for your own good! " shouted Michio planning to once again throw a shoe at him but stopped realizing that mother was here and with slipper...
'That was close call... *Sigh*' Michio realized sigh after confirming that he is safe.
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The next chapter will be about street basketball and it will be full game. Also badges will be explained way better for those who don't play NBA 2k21
And thank you guys for all your support.
[1700 Words In Chapter]